Tonight, CBS aired a promo that Saturday they would air the Patriots-Giants. I was slightly disappointed, I would prefer a game with teams I cared about.
Later in the night on FOX I saw an NFL Network commercial: the Pats vs. the Giants. Saturday.
Uh.....wtf? Was I hallucinating with the CBS thing?
Whatever, okay.
So I'm watching Leno still later at night: NBC presents the Patriots and Giants, battling head-to-head.
Okay....what the hell is going on? Three networks? Did you hear me? THREE NETWORKS. For a regular season game that has no implication on the playoffs.
I understand about the magnitude of the game historically. And the importance of giving the fans the opportunity to watch it and reminisce for years forward (I remember when the Giants creamed the Patriots in their quest for the epic undefeated season. Oh the look on Tom Brady's face when it happened, we thought Moss was going to cry (wishful thinking...Giants win Saturday, Giants win Saturday)).
I get that, and it's great that they are airing it on network television, when the NFL prides itself on being America's True Pastime--and the most accessible league. But we can air it on one network. And get this ... in New York and Boston markets, ABC has rights to the game. For those without math skills that will be four---how is anyone making money on this diluted market? They should all re-do their promos: Patriots vs. the Giants on CBS (and NBC. And the NFL Network. And, if you live in Boston or New York, ABC.)
But let's all be honest here, with all of my dislike for Bill Belicheck, the sickening dynasty talk and the golden boy quarterback who looks great because, oh by the way, he's throwing to the best wide receiver in the league--------this game has two possibilities, and neither of them is making me jump out of my chair to watch it.
1) Absolute blow out -- regardless of who plays, Brady, Moss, Manning or their third string understudies... because again, this game has no meaning in the grand scheme of the playoffs which last time i checked, were pretty damn important because they determined who plays in the Championship game and the magnificent Patriots aren't just ushered in unless congress makes a new law (which I realize is entirely possible since the Patriots are indeed that fucking great) to make the Super Bowl the Patriots vs. whichever team (and hey why don't we have a playoff system where NFC vs. AFC teams play to decide which team is good enough to be whopped on by the Patriots in the Super Bowl) and while we're at it, let's rename it.... how about the Chowder Bowl? Or the Patriots are Fantastic Bowl? Or This is Irrelevant a Because We All Know the Patriots Are Really the Best Ever Bowl (TIBWAKPRBEB for short).
2) Extremely, Close & Hard Fought Game
With either option ... and with either first string or those unnamed bench warmers, #1 will only be amusing to Pats fans. (And really people, when the Packers are up by 20+ points, I start feeling sorry for the other team and start to lose interest--don't you check out in the fourth quarter too?)
The second option would be the only one worth watching ... but it still doesn't merit three networks carrying it. I'm not even going to address that less than 40 percent of the nation (and the only people in Wisconsin who got to see it was those living in Green Bay/Milwaukee ... because the rest of the state wouldn't really mind they didn't get to see it, apparently) saw a game with actual importance to the actual reason they don't just hold a lottery system to which two teams will play in the Super Bowl (oops, sorry the TIBWAKPRBEB) in the first place. (i.e. Packers-Cowboys, which decided home field advantage for NFC Playoffs)
Yes, I obviously have animosity towards the Patriots and the whole world being swept up into calling them the best team ever and saying they'll go 19-0 by week 6. But, three networks?!?
SERIOUSLY?!
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